A gang of more than 35,000 snowmobilers can't wait for snow to blanket Pennsylvania again

More than 35,000 snowmobilers in Pennsylvania are awaiting the start of winter Dec. 21 as if it were the holiday that arrives four days later.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources this year shows 33,992 active snowmobiles registered across the commonwealth. There are also 4,932 snowmobiles with limited registrations for private land-only use. Active licenses allow riders to use designated trails on state parks and state forest lands.

Snowmobile riders know they may have to travel to find snow. Some of the areas of highest ownership are in counties that receive little snow each year. The top counties for snowmobile registrations are Lancaster with 1,657; Erie with 1,579; Berks at 1,267; York with 1,135; and Lycoming with 879.

“Riding a snowmobile is a unique experience with two skis and one track in the back. I don’t think there is any other form of motorized recreation that duplicates it,” said Bob Kirchner, 69. He's an avid snowmobiler with leadership experience with several snowmobile associations and a member of the Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council.

“You slide around a little bit, but you’re always in control, but you get that feeling and thrill. The scenery in the winter, you will get back into places that some people will never see in the winter. You see a lot of wildlife,” Kirchner said.

With milder winters in recent years, snowmobilers know to plan around weather. There were also light snow falls in the 1980s in Kirchner’s early years of riding. “We had spotty winters,” he said

He lives in St. Marys, Elk County, but has also lived in Erie, York and Beaver counties. He has enjoyed snowmobiling, including racing in various parts of the state as well as in New York and Canada.

The best months for snow in Pennsylvania have been February and early March. “I say the season is six to eight weeks in the northern part of the state, and maybe in the Laurel Highlands with its unique geography that allows the snow to accumulate there.”

Kirchner said he has seen state registrations of more than 40,000 some years, and as low as 30,000 in others. “It’s come back a little bit,” he said about recent years.

There is a financial component to enjoying the hobby. Many new snowmobiles start out around $10,000 and go up from there. “It’s an expensive hobby, but for those who can afford it, they are really dedicated to it,” he said.

Given the expense, and the short season to enjoy the machines, it's no surprise people are hauling their sleds to New York, Quebec and Ontario. “We’ve lost some snowmobilers to four-wheeling and particular side by sides,” Kitchner said. The DCNR also registers ATVs , which total 288,611 active and 141,825 limited vehicles for 2023.

However, for Kirchner, there’s something special about snowmobiling for those who like winter.

“It kind of gets in your blood. When it snows and things slow down and people tend to slow down. When you get out in the woods on a snowmobile, there’s not a lot of activity. The leaves are off the trees so you can see, sometimes quite a distance. Some trail systems have nice vistas. Just riding the machine itself, like some people like to ride motorcycles, rather than drive a car," Kirchner said.

Where to ride snowmobiles on public land in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association reports the state has approximately 6,000 miles of trails in state parks and forests, the Allegheny National Forest, state game lands and trails on private land open to the public. Opportunities range from woodsy, scenic trails, to straightaway runs on roadways, to large, open spaces.

Rachel Eckman, park manager of Black Moshannon State Park, enjoys riding in the park and adjacent state forest.

“If you are looking for peaceful riding, this is the place to be,” she said about the park, which is located in the central part of the state. She said most everyone in the state can be at Black Moshannon within a 3-hour drive.

It’s an expansive rural area where people can become immersed in nature.

“We don’t have a lot of trails within our park boundaries. We have what are primarily connector trails that lead onto the larger 40,000-acre Moshannon State Forest,” she said. “They have 208 miles of snowmobile trails that they groom religiously."

Riders are renting cabins in the park to help extend their stay. “I snowmobile with my dad," Eckman said. "He comes out if we have good snow, and it’s just beautiful. The Bureau of Forestry does an excellent job keeping the trails groomed and maintained. It’s just peaceful out there."

Snowmobilers are able to access places that are normally open only to hikers. During the winter months, some roads and trails that are gated are opened to snowmobilers to enjoy. “You can jet off on these very peaceful trail systems that are usually gated, it’s just like fresh powder. It’s just so peaceful when you turn your machine off and you can hear a pin drop,” Eckman said.

The DCNR posts online snow and trail conditions three times per week on its trail conditions page. State parks and forests also post winter activity reports at bit.ly/gisdcnrpagov to help visitors be aware of the conditions and opportunities.

What's next for snowmobiling in Pennsylvania?

Kirchner said the number of snowmobiles won’t return to what it was in the 1980s. “We’re pretty much at an equilibrium with the hardcore people who will be forever optimistic that snowy winters will return and, if they don’t, they will go find snow to ride,” he said.

That's why Kirchner continues to promote the sport and trail systems by serving with several organizations including as past president of the Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association, member of the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame board of directors and the West Creek Recreational Trail Association board in Cameron and Elk counties.

Snowmobiling caters to the desires of the riders. From experiencing a fast-pace ride to going slow and enjoying the scenery, Kirchner said the sport has what each rider prefers. “You can do whatever you want, from experiencing the thrill of the ride or slowing down and enjoying the vistas, it’s just a winter experience instead of staying bundled up in the house."

Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors, and Instagram at whipkeyoutdoors.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Snowmobiler riders in PA wait on winter weather, make travel plans